Daniel Guinart1,2,3, Heidi Taipale4,5,6, Jose M Rubio1,2,3, Antti Tanskanen4,5, Christoph U Correll1,2,3,7, Jari Tiihonen4,5,8, John M Kane1,2,3. 1. Division of Psychiatry Research, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, New York, NY, USA. 2. Institute of Behavioral Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY. 3. Department of Psychiatry, The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Northwell/Hofstra, Hempstead, NY, USA. 4. Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. 5. Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 6. School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. 7. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 8. Stockholm County Council, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are associated with multiple positive outcomes in psychosis, but it is unclear whether LAIs are associated with worse outcomes if neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a potentially lethal adverse effect, occurs. METHODS: We used nationwide and nationally representative databases of healthcare encounters in Finland to study the incidence and outcome predictors of NMS in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder between January 01, 1972 and December 31, 2017. Using a nested case-control design, we also explored differences by antipsychotic formulation (LAI vs oral antipsychotic [OAP]) and class (first-generation antipsychotic [FGA] vs second-generation antipsychotic [SGA]). RESULTS: One hundred seventy-two NMS cases and 1441 sex-, age-, and diagnosis-matched controls were included (age = 58.8 ± 13.1 years, males = 59.9%). Incidence of NMS was 1.99 (1.98-2.00) per 10 000 person-years. The likelihood of developing NMS did not differ by antipsychotic formulation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.89, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 0.59-1.33, for LAIs vs OAPs) or class (FGA-OAP vs SGA-OAP [aOR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.66-1.76], FGA-LAI [aOR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.52-1.53], SGA-LAI [aOR: 1.35, 95% CI: 0.58-3.12]). NMS risk factors included antipsychotic treatment change: increased number (odds ratios [OR]: 5.00, 95% CI: 2.56-9.73); decreased number/switch (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.19-4.96); higher antipsychotic dose (>2DDDs-OR: 3.15, 95% CI: 1.61-6.18); co-treatment with anticholinergics (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.57-3.24), lithium (OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.30-3.58), benzodiazepines (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.44-3.58); and comorbid cardiovascular disease (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.22-2.45). Within 30 days, 4.7% of cases with NMS died (15.1% within 1 year) without differences by antipsychotic formulation. NMS reoccurred in 5 of 119 subjects (4.2%), after a median = 795 (range = 77-839) days after rechallenge with antipsychotics. CONCLUSION: NMS remains a potentially life-threatening risk, yet these results should further contribute to mitigate concerns about LAI safety regarding NMS onset or outcomes, including mortality.
INTRODUCTION: Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are associated with multiple positive outcomes in psychosis, but it is unclear whether LAIs are associated with worse outcomes if neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a potentially lethal adverse effect, occurs. METHODS: We used nationwide and nationally representative databases of healthcare encounters in Finland to study the incidence and outcome predictors of NMS in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder between January 01, 1972 and December 31, 2017. Using a nested case-control design, we also explored differences by antipsychotic formulation (LAI vs oral antipsychotic [OAP]) and class (first-generation antipsychotic [FGA] vs second-generation antipsychotic [SGA]). RESULTS: One hundred seventy-two NMS cases and 1441 sex-, age-, and diagnosis-matched controls were included (age = 58.8 ± 13.1 years, males = 59.9%). Incidence of NMS was 1.99 (1.98-2.00) per 10 000 person-years. The likelihood of developing NMS did not differ by antipsychotic formulation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.89, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 0.59-1.33, for LAIs vs OAPs) or class (FGA-OAP vs SGA-OAP [aOR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.66-1.76], FGA-LAI [aOR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.52-1.53], SGA-LAI [aOR: 1.35, 95% CI: 0.58-3.12]). NMS risk factors included antipsychotic treatment change: increased number (odds ratios [OR]: 5.00, 95% CI: 2.56-9.73); decreased number/switch (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.19-4.96); higher antipsychotic dose (>2DDDs-OR: 3.15, 95% CI: 1.61-6.18); co-treatment with anticholinergics (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.57-3.24), lithium (OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.30-3.58), benzodiazepines (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.44-3.58); and comorbid cardiovascular disease (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.22-2.45). Within 30 days, 4.7% of cases with NMS died (15.1% within 1 year) without differences by antipsychotic formulation. NMS reoccurred in 5 of 119 subjects (4.2%), after a median = 795 (range = 77-839) days after rechallenge with antipsychotics. CONCLUSION: NMS remains a potentially life-threatening risk, yet these results should further contribute to mitigate concerns about LAI safety regarding NMS onset or outcomes, including mortality.
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